Bard, Lord of Dale
by c e n n a d e s u
Summary: Bard - a descendant in long line of Girion, Lord of Dale, who is deserving of a wife and Queen that will help him come into his own. Collection of BardxReader oneshots/drabbles. Rated M for smut related chapters.
1. Blind

Based off of the prompt: _Imagine being head over heels in love with Bard, and him being oblivious about your feelings, until you end up screaming out that you love him during a small argument_ \- which can be found at imaginexhobbit.

Leave a review if you end up enjoying it. :)

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You could feel your hands grow clammy and hot as they curled into themselves, your nails making small crescent shaped indents into the smooth skin of your palms. Your stomach continued to twist into itself as you looked up into the pale green eyes of the man that stood before you.

The same green eyes that belong to the man that you unwillingly fell in love with, years ago.

His green eyes stared intensely and unyielding into your own, reflecting the words that left his mouth as he pulled you away into the small, dark alley between two, tall aged stone buildings in the newly reestablished city of Dale.

The tight space cause his muscular chest to almost be flush against your own as he looked down at you, his gaze and question unwavering. His scent – a light air of ginger, mixed with the slight musk that always seemed to shrouded him – filled your senses. You silently took in a deep breath of it, your eyes never leaving his own.

You bit your lip lightly once his eyes finally left yours, letting out a small sigh as he looked down in the almost nonexistent space between the two of you.

"Bard," you whispered, causing him to snap him eyes back to your own. "I only wished to help – I did not mean to worry you-"

"I told you to remain with the other women! I needed you to help protect the children, not the men who ought to be protecting you," He retorted in a harsh whisper. You had no purpose in picking up a sword."

You eyed him closely, anger beginning to develop from the pride that he effectively injured with his words. "I didn't?" You asked sharply. "I seemed to have a fairly strong one when I saved you life."

At that, Bard reached out and took your arm into his calloused hand with a little more force that he meant to use. You winced slightly as he pulled back the brown sleeve of the tunic that clothed your body, revealing the once, deep wound that could only be inflicted by a serrated orc blade. He grew silent as the pad of his thumb ghosted over the healing, bruised skin.

"And yet, you were injured, [y/n]," He finally responded, his voice straining to remain quiet in the shadows you hid in.

You would never admit that his touch caused your heart to flutter and your cheeks to warm, as did his genuine worry for you, even though it was just him fulfilling his obligation as the new master of Dale.

Instead, you pulled you arm from his hands, your eyes studying his face closely. "A small price I paid for your life," You scolded quietly, a light quiver lacing your words. "At least pretend to be grateful."

"Grateful?" Bard grounded out a little louder than he wished. He looked down at the opening of the alley, making sure that he didn't draw any attention. "Why would I be grateful for you being so willing to lose your life for me?"

"But I didn't!"

"But you could have! And you were willing!" Bard bit his lip as he saw you shrink back at his words, your eyes falling away from him. He leaned in towards you, dipping his head until he finally met your gaze. "Why, [y/n]? Bain, Singrid, Tilda - " He paused, "All the children of Laketown love you. Why would you allow _them_ to have the risk of losing you?"

The softness in his voice caused you to speak with a softness of your own. "Do I need a reason?"

He let out a light scoff. "Yes!"

"And why?"

"Why?" He repeated, standing to his full height. He ran his hand down his thick, black beard, his nimble fingers dangling at his chin. "It might help me believe that you're not as selfish as you seem right now."

You let out a scowl of your own. "Selfish?" You scolded at him as he nodded at you. "If being selfish means saving your life, then so be it!" You retorted as you lightly shoved against his chest, pushing him as far as the tight space would allow you to. "Must I have a reason to want to help stand, and protect what _little_ we have left? A reason to _try_ and protect you?"

"Yes," He answered softly.

You shook your head slightly. He truly didn't realize what your reason was. What your reason has always been. Why you always put a little more thought than what was needed into your appearance; why you always seemed to have a smile when speaking with the bowman; why you always defended Bard in his absence whenever people spoke badly of the failure of Lord Girion, his ancestor.

It was just like Bard, to give so much attention to things far from him but being unable to discern what was right below his nose. He had always been that way, even when he was a child.

You shrugged in defeat. "I don't have one. Perhaps it is because I'm foolish and do things without a questioning thought. Perhaps its because I felt I had more purpose holding a sword, than holding onto myself, wondering if its over," You paused, letting out a jagged breath, the anger from before beginning to bubble back up. "Perhaps, its because I had the misfortune of falling in love with a man that does not seem to even realize that I'm standing right before him."

Your shoulders sank as Bard's eyebrows knitted together in question.

"Oh, Bard," You whispered, your hand raising to ghost against his bearded cheek. "If only you weren't as blind as a bat in daylight, then maybe you would have realized that I am in love with you."

You smiled sadly as surprise took his face. You let your hand fall back to your side as you repeated your confession just a little louder, before turning to walk towards the mouth of the alley way.

You stopped once you felt Bard take a gentle hold of your wrist, causing you to turn to look back up at him.

You rose a single eyebrow in silent question as you watched as his green eyes seemed to peer into your own, as if searching for a sign that what fell from your lips was what he actually heard.

A few moments of silence passed before you finally tried to pull your wrist away from Bard, only to have him pull you towards him, almost stumbling over your feet.

"Why do you think I wanted you to stay behind, [y/n]?" He asked softly, taking a few steps towards you.

You lips quivered slightly as he took a final step, his chest once again flush with your own.

"I wanted to protect _you_, and have some sort of guarantee that you would be okay."

You let out a quiet sigh. "I understand that, but you don't seem to understand me-"

You were silence by the light brush of Bard's lips against yours. He lingered there, his warm breath fanning across your face. Before pulling away, he gently pressed his lips against yours, his hand releasing your wrist to come up and cradle your head.

He rested his forehead against yours, a sad, short laugh leaving his lips as you absently gazed into his eyes, although your mind was somewhere completely different.

"It seems as if we have both been blind to the other," He whispered to you, his nose gently pressing against yours. "And selfish."

You nodded slowly at his words, a small laugh of your own leaving your lips.

The smile disappeared when he pulled away from you fully, his hands falling to take yours into them. He squeezed tightly, his eyes falling to the wound that still laid uncovered on your forearm.

He once again, carefully, ghosted his thumb along the wound, his own shoulders falling in disappointment and guilt. He trailed his hand up the length of your arm, gently ghosting along your neck until he reached your warmed cheek. "And for good reason?"

You smiled lightly as his uncertainty. You further laced your fingers through his, tilting your head into his warm palm, the callouses on his hand rubbing roughly against the smooth skin of your face.

"Nothing less."


	2. Cold

Based off of the imagine: IMAGINE BARD SHOWING OFF BY USING THE BOATS TO GET FROM ONE WALKWAY TO ANOTHER AND THEN HE FALLS IN ACCIDENTALLY - which can be found at imaginexhobbit.

Please leave a review if you enjoy it. :)

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The snow was falling subtly over the calm waters of Esgaroth, covering the wooden boardwalks that jutted out over and into the waters at the merchant docking bay. The boats gently swayed left and right in the subtle moving waters, the only thing keeping them from drifting away being the tight ties of the twine rope that was looped around the steel cleat.

You drew your coat closer to your body, tucking your hands underneath your arms as you watched the working men of Laketown shuffle through the light snow, bargaining their transactions and docking their boats full of fresh fish, ready to trade for whatever was valuable.

You waited at your late father's small shanty – a shack that sold and repaired the fishing nets of all if not most of the boats that sailed over the lake before Esgaroth. When he passed, the small yet successful business fell into your hands. You cherished it, the last ode to your father and did your best to run it just as he did, changing nothing about the charm that emitted from the small shack.

You stepped from under the wooden roof of the shanty, glancing up the walkway of the docking bay, your breath puffing out white before you as light snowflakes fell and gathered on your [h/c] hair and eyelashes.

You were waiting for a certain bargeman who vowed that he had an excess amount of the thick twine that you were in desperate need of.

Although you insisted that you would make do with the twill you had remaining, Bard managed to persuade you into accepting the supply. "Think of it as a gift," He said, his bearded lips pulling back into a smile.

And of course, you couldn't help but smile back at him, nodding your head in a silent agreement.

The smile you wore then was very similar to the one you wore now as your eyes finally landed onto the bargeman's pale green ones. His own lips pulled back into a smile as he glanced down at the wooden boats that floated on the water, before his eyes flashed back up to yours.

You watched him curiously as he approached a boat, the net twine clutch in his gloved hands, and leaped into the wooden bay of it. Your mouth fell slightly agape as you watched him leap from boat to boat, the water vehicles wobbling for just a moment under the sudden weight. Your lips pulled back into a disbelieving smile once he leaped into a boat that was just two away from you.

The smile was quickly replaced by the silent gasp that left your lips as you watched Bard's leap fall short just a few inches, landing him into the surely freezing waters of Laketown.

"Bard!" You called to him, rushing out onto the wooden dock as you watched him emerge from the water, his once tan cheeks flushed a bright, frosty pink due to the cold. You reached your hands out, tucking them underneath his arms as you aided him out of the frigid water, his clothes soaked through and through with the frosty liquid.

You glanced up at him, his eyes still closed as he let out a shaky chuckle, his soaked hair plastered onto his face as he slowly shook his head. "Are you alright?" You asked, worry lacing your words. You didn't allow him a chance to reply before you gently pulled on his arm, leading him to your family's small shack. "Come, you'll catch a cold if you remain in those clothes."

He followed you silently, his hands shivering just slightly within yours, as you lead him into the backrooms of the small shop, sitting him onto the hearthside of the small fireplace whose flames were already lit.

Bard's pale green eyes watched as you parted from him, returning with a large warm towel before you placed it onto the table that stood beside him. He grinned up at you when you motioned for him to stand, his eyes watching you closely as you began to undress him, ridding him of the clothes that remained stuck to his body.

"What were you thinking?" You asked quietly, placing his tunic and vest by the side of the fireplace to dry, bringing a woolen blanket to his shoulders, before reaching for the towel and placing it onto his head. "You could have died doing something as silly as that." Although a quiet laugh left your lips, you couldn't help the worry that bubbled up within you. The bargeman has never been so careless in the years that you've known him, and now surely wasn't the time to begin.

His silky chuckle reached your ears as you continued to gently towel dry his hair, your hands tenderly massaging his scalp through the fabric of the towel.

"I suppose I wasn't thinking," he finally replied. Though his eyes were hidden to you by the towel, he relished in the hidden glances he stole of you, his heart warming despite his chilly skin at the genuine worry that played across your face.

It had been a long while since he had been so carefully cared for, even longer by a woman he looked so fondly upon.

And so when you began to pull away from him, he couldn't help the rise of his hands as they reached for your hips. You felt as he leaned his head against your lower stomach, nestling against it as his arms slipped around you lightly.

You felt your skin warm and your heartbeat increase just slightly at the light embrace, but thrived under the feeling of his arms around you nonetheless. Your own hands rose and gently rested against his head, your lithe fingers rubbing softly into the damp tussles of his dark hair.

The two of you remained in the others embrace, fulfilling the unspoken desire that fluttered through both of your hearts, finally making known the feelings that you held for the other.

You could have remained that way for eternity, had it not been for the sneeze that racked Bard's being.

You pulled back from him, lifting the veil of the towel from his eyes before your hands lowered to cup his face. "I'll see if I can find a change of clothes for you."

He smiled up at you, his nose and cheeks still sporting a light shade of pink as he nodded. "Thank you."


	3. Grateful

Just a quick BardxWife!Reader fic.

Please leave a review if you end up enjoying it. :)

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The rain fell hard and heavy onto the wooden roof of the small house that stood near the waters of the lake of Esgaroth. It pattered rhythmically against the window pane before silently rolling down and off of the glass surface, causing a small bit of haze to form near the bottom of the windows.

The wet and cool night that awaited outside made the small, flickering light of the lit fireplace seem all the more warmer and welcoming, as it crackled and fluttered in the hearth of the main room, washing the otherwise dark space in warm hues of reds and oranges.

It warmly illuminated the faces of the father that sat in the chair before the hearthside, and his daughter that sat in his lap, snuggling into the warmth and safety of the haven that was her father's embrace.

Feeling as his youngest little one snuggled more into his bosom, Bard pulled the small blanket that covered her body further onto her before bringing his arm back to cradle her, holding her close to his chest as he silently lulled her to sleep, knowing full and well of her fear of thunderstorms like that one that continued on outside.

He rubbed small, soothing circles into her back, hearing as her breathing slowly became deeper and more drawn out as the exhaustion finally began to take reign of her body.

He would have believed that she finally fell asleep, had it not been for the quiet sounding of her voice that reached his ears, her question falling off her lips slightly mumbled by her desire for rest.

"What was mama like, da?"

He hesitated for a moment before his lips pulled back into a small smile at her innocent inquiry. He tilted his head down at her when she looked up at him, her eyes expectant of his answer despite the drowsiness that was obviously there.

"She was just like you, Tilda," He replied, his voice low in an attempt to not wake his two eldest children who already managed to force themselves to sleep. "But she was a little bit older, of course."

He chuckled in harmony with his daughter's quiet laugh, her head tilting back down as she rested against his chest, allowing his heartbeat to lull her to a state where her mind rested, but was still aware of her father's quiet utterances.

"She was a little like Sigrid also, in how independent and strong willed she was," He mused, his mind beginning to flood with all memories of you, his lips pulling back into a small, sad smile that went unnoticed by Tilda. "And Bain, also. I believe that is where he got his sense of loyalty from," He added, chuckling softly. "She was loyal to any that deserved it. Perhaps to a fault."

Tilda tilted her head back up to her father, fully noticing the sad smile that played across his features. She felt her own shoulder slump slightly at the sight of him. Despite her young age, she knew how his loss of you pained him, and felt a little helpless at a loss of how she could possibly help him.

"Was she pretty?" She asked quietly, watching Bard's face closely as he smiled a little wider at the thought of your own smile that almost always seemed to be shown on your face.

"She was a beauty," He whispered, "Just like you." He touched the tip of his nose against Tilda's before kissing her forehead lightly, feeling as his throat began to burn lightly at the thought of you, with tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes.

He quickly blinked them away though before he looked back at Tilda who watched him expectantly, her eyes heavy with sleep, and struggling to stay open.

She hesitated for just a moment before continuing with her next question, her head tilting slightly to the right as she awaited her father's answer.

"Do you miss her?"

Bard smiled at her, the tears that he just managed to blink away, coming back with a burning vengence. He shook his head slightly before answering in a voice just above a whisper. "Everyday," he paused. "There isn't a moment that I do not miss her."

He watched silently as the faint smile that was on Tilda's lips slowly faded away as she looked up at him. He managed a smile to form on his own features as his hand rose to cup his daughter's cheek. "But I have the three of you to remind me of her everyday."

And he meant it. Although, sometime in the past that fact would only cause the memories of you to reply in his mind, causing his heart to ache for you as he silently mourned your loss, but now, as he watched each of the children that you bore him become more and more like you every day, he couldn't be any more than grateful.

He was grateful that he had the privileged to continue raising the children that you poured your love into, the ones you would have done anything for. He was grateful that someday, his children would give another the same joy and love that you gave him, cherishing them with the love and compassion that no doubt also came from you.

He was grateful that your daughters were almost mirror images of you, their hair a dark, golden color just as yours was, curling slightly just as yours once did.

He was grateful to have had the chance to love you, and to be loved by you.

And he was grateful for the small little girl that laid against his chest, her eyes fluttering shut as she failed to keep them open.

"I miss her too."

He smiled lightly at her quiet utterance as she finally fell into the world of sleep. His lips pressing lightly against the crown of her head as a small tear balanced on the edge of his eyelashes, falling only when he closed his eyes, the very image of you showing clearly in his mind.

Only the gods knew how much he had missed you. But somehow he felt – he knew, that somewhere you were with him, watching as he raised your children to the best of his ability.

And it was that comfort that he managed on, day by day, grateful for your presence that never seemed to leave him.


	4. Soft Touches

Little bit of BardxReader fluff. :) I hope you enjoy~

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You rested against your husband's chest, his arms wrapped loosely around your torso, your legs tangled into each other comfortably, The light rhythm of the rain pattering against the window reached your ears, further coaxing you to relax as the crackling flames of the fireplace before you warmed your exposed skin. You relaxed into him fully, taking a deep breath of the scent that seemed to surround his person – a mixture of spicy ginger and a light trace of musk that you grew more and more attracted to since the day of your espousal. You allowed your [e/c] eyes to slowly slide shut, enjoying the failing rain and the relaxing rise and fall of his chest.

You snuggled more into the merchant's chest, feeling as he kissed the back of his head and smiling as you felt his fingertips ghost along the warm skin of your arms, causing your skin to tingle under the tender touch.

A light laugh left your lips as you felt him lean down onto your shoulder, planting a light kiss onto your skin as his hands continued to run up and down your arm. You felt his warm breath fan across your skin as he spoke, the short hairs of his beard brushing lightly against your shoulder, "Why are you laughing?" You could hear and feel the light smile that played on his lips, leaning in slightly to the touch of his lips as he placed another, ghost like kiss onto your skin.

You shifted slightly so that you could turn your head back to glance at his face. "It tickles, Bard."

"Does it?" His voice growing amused. He continued his amatory movements along you arm before allowing his fingertips to trail over you shoulder and across the surface of your back, placing light kisses along your shoulders and neck. "I cannot help it," He whispered to you, "Sometimes I worry that I might forget how soft your skin is, especially under my touch."

"Oh?" You questioned, feeling as he gently moved your hair from the side of your neck, gently placing his lips on the sensitive skin there.

"Mmhm," He hummed against your skin, his hand beginning to trail down the side of your body, lingering at the subtle protrude of the curve of your hips.

You knew that there was some truth behind his words. His work as a fisherman kept him from home for as long as weeks at a time, draining every ounce of energy from his person and returning him to you unable to do much more than eat the food you had prepared and lay in bed, his arms holding you flush against him.

You knew he wanted to make up for the lost time, silently redeeming himself for the time he made you endure on your own.

Although at times, it was hard, being without the man who you promised your heart to for such a length of time. You missed him, and was always just as eager to remain in his arms as soon as he stepped foot into your shared home.

Just as you were now.

You gently took hold of his warm hand, bringing it up to your face and lightly pressing your lips against his faintly scared knuckles. "Perhaps, then, we ought to make sure you never do," You suggested, a coy smile pulling at your lips as you brushed them against his fingertips.

Your skin tingled at the sound of the smooth chuckle that rumbled through his chest, feeling as he leaned forward slightly, kissing along your jaw bone. "Perhaps we should."

You glanced back at him, your [e/c] eyes locking onto his that now stirred with a light trace of arousal.

You kissed his knuckles again, keeping his hand within yours as you reluctantly pulled away from the warmth of his body, swinging your legs till your feet met the cool wood of the floor and standing to your full height, gently tugging on his hand to have him do the same.

He willingly complied, standing to where he easily towered over you, his soft eyes gazing down at you as he finally captured your lips in a soft, passionate kiss.

You guided his hand to your waist, allowing him to take hold of it before bringing your hand around his neck, your fingers massaging the scalp of his head while tangling themselves into the waviness of his hair.

A quiet squeal left your lips as you felt him hook his arm under your knees, his other one supporting your back as he lifted you up, holding your left side flush against his chest, your head cradled in the crook of his arm and elbow.

He smiled down at you, obviously proud of the quiet sound he earned from you. Kissing you lightly once again, he turned slowly on his heel, carefully maneuvering through the furniture of the house, the bedroom you shared being his current goal in mind.

Your simpered up at him, your hand raising to being undoing the leather tie of his tunic, a light giggle leaving your lips as he gently back kicked the door of your room shut, his eyes only present on you.


	5. Sleepy Kisses

My first BardxReader smut. :o

Please leave a review if you end up enjoying it. :)

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You glanced up at the wide, bow styled window that stood above the head of the bed, your eyes squinting slightly at the mid-day sunlight that managed to filter through the thin, white curtains that hung before it. You smiled lightly to yourself, enjoying the way the bright rays of the sun gently warmed your skin, and how it washed the once dark room in a beautiful sea of orange and light red hues.

The house outside of the room was silent, further emphasizing the absence of the three children you shared with Bard. It was one of the few times that they would spend the night and morning at the house of their grandparents, giving you and Bard much needed privacy that seemed to have disappeared with the birth of your first and only son, Bain.

You felt Bard stir slightly underneath you, taking in a deep breath as you felt his arm around your waist tighten for just a moment before returning to its semi-loose state as he rested below you.

Your left hand tucked gently under your chin as you laid on the right side of his bare chest, you watched him silently as his lips pulled back in subtle smiles as he lived through his vivid dreams that, unknown to you, centered greatly upon the smile that Bard could almost always find gracing your face.

It was a smile the resembled the one you wore now as you lifted your right hand, and with your fingertips, began to slowly ghost over the smooth skin of his lips, your eyebrows raising in amusement as his nose wrinkled at the light tickles that failed to wake him up. You continued ghosting your fingers up his strong jawbone, watching as it clenched and tightened under your touch, a soft sigh escaping his now slightly agape lips.

You splayed your left hand over his right breast, kissing lightly over the subtle hairs that were scattered across his lightly scarred skin.

You rose your hand ghosted over his eyebrow, smiling as he leaned in slightly to your touch, before your eyes flashed back to his lips, as if they were calling out to you for your touch. You bit your bottom lip lightly, glancing up at Bard's closed eyes before shifting slightly, pushing yourself up a bit along Bard's body – just enough to where your lips could softly press against his.

You laughed lightly as you felt his hand press into the small of your back lightly, bringing you as close to his body as you could be, feeling as he smiled against your kiss.

You parted your lips from his, pushing your head up to look down at him with a knowing smile, your heart warming at the sleepy one that took reign over his features.

He stifled back a quiet yawn, his free hand raising to cover his mouth. "What are you doing, woman?" He asked softly with a light croak in his voice from not having spoken since the night prior.

You smiled at him, leaning your head back onto your hand that rested on his chest. "Waiting for you to wake up," You responded just as quietly, tilting your head as you trailed your fingertips down the middle of his stomach, watching his abdomen contract at the light tickle. "It's almost noon, you know."

"Mm, is it?" He asked, feeling as he stretched his legs below you, his toes pointing as he slowly began waking up. You leaned up with him as he sat up straight, his eyes set gently on your [e/c] ones. He tenderly rose his hand to cup your cheek, smiling sleepily at you as you leaned into his warm touch. "Am I not allowed to stay in bed with the one I love?"

You smiled lightly at the small pout of his lips, leaning forward to catch them in a soft kiss. "Now what good will that be if you're sleeping all day?"

You loved the smooth chuckle that vibrated through his chest, his head tilting to the side as he looked at you under the warm light of the noon sun. "What do you have in mind then, love?"

You pursed your lips in thought, glancing around the room as if the answered lingered somewhere in the air. You flashed your eyes back to him before glancing down at his bare, muscular torso, a playful smile forming on your lips. "Perhaps we should do something that will...wake you up?" You suggested, watching as he squinted his light emerald green eyes at you.

"And what would that be?"

Your smile grew brighter as you leaned in towards him, your hands reaching for his sides as you began tickling him in the place you knew he was most sensitive. The sudden bark of his laugh reached your ears, filling the once silent room with a sound as beautiful as the music of the elves.

You climbed on top of him as he leaned back in a futile attempt to get away from your touch. You felt as his hands rose and took hold of your hips once you straddled his waist, his hands squeezing lightly with a loving sort of possession.

You continued your loving torture until his voice reached your ears, his words almost lost among the laughs that left his lips.

"No, please don't [y/n]," He begged, his green eyes brimming with the tears of his laughter. "I'm up, love! I'm up!"

You slowly eased the torture until you stopped completely, your laughs ringing in a soft harmony with his as he began to regain the breath that you took away. You leaned forward, resting your hands lightly on his chest as you lingered your lips above his, your hands raising to gently wipe away the tears that gathered in the corner of his eyes. "Are you sure?"

He took a moment to respond, light chuckles falling from his lips as he looked up at you. "As sure as the sun that rises."

You smiled at him as he shifted to sit up, his hands keeping hold of your hips to keep you straddled across him, sitting on his lap as he rose.

He looked at you lovingly, his lips pulled back in a near perfect smile as his fingertips rubbed gently against the smooth cotton of your night gown, gently curving against the curve of your hips. His eyes flashing across your face, you smiled lightly as his words reached your ears.

"I love you."

You rose your hands from his warm chest to cup the bearded skin of his cheeks as you drew closer to him.

"And I love you, Bard."

He smiled before reaching his lips to yours, covering them with a soft passionate kiss. You smiled against his lips as you felt his hands wander away from your hips, following the smooth fabric of your night shirt, his hands grazing over the bare skin of your shoulders before he slowly began to slip down the thin strap of your dress.

He pulled away from you softly, his green eyes glancing to yours in a silent search of approval. Your eyebrow rose slightly as you smiled at him, your own hand raising to cover over his lightly, leading it to pull your strap down the rest of the way.

It fell below your shoulder, revealing the beginning of the curve of your right breast. You felt as his calloused hand gently repeated the motion on your other shoulder, slipping the strap away from it and allowing it to fall.

His eyes flashed down to your chest, watching as it rose and fell gently with every breath you took, the dress falling down lower and lower with the subtle movement. He rose his head, his eyes resting on your lips in a silent calling for them, at which you willingly complied.

He moved his lips against yours gently as he slowly pushed the lace hem of your night gown down until it pooled at your waist, exposing the smooth skin of your breast and stomach. Without parting from you, his hands moved down your sides causing a shiver to run down the length of your spine. He brought one of his hands to the front of your stomach raising it up slowly until it met the gentle swell of your chest, while his other held you up by resting on the small of your back.

Softly, he took your breast into his palm, squeezing it lightly before tenderly rubbing it as if in a silent apology before repeating the rhythm.

You whimpered quietly into the kiss, feeling as your nipples began to grow taunt at his touch. You felt as his tongue softly rubbed against you lower lip before entering your already slightly parted lips, his tongue gliding over yours as he remapped the cavern of your mouth.

You jumped slightly, squeezing your thighs against his when he lightly pinched your taunt nipple between the tips of his pointer finger and thumb, a soft groan flowing from his lips at the sudden hug of his lower half.

You could feel the all familiar bulge of his growing member against your folds as he continued to roam his hands freely along your body, his hand finally bringing its attention to your other breast. You gently ground your hips down to his, in a silent display of your arousal for him before he finally pulled away, light pants leaving both of your lips as you sought out air.

He dipped his head, kissing the along the valley of your breasts, his hand gently squeezing the smooth skin. You brought your hands and rested them against his shoulders, gently digging your nails into his skin and dragging them slowly, feeling the shudder than swam through his body at the sensation.

"I want you," He confessed with a quiet growl against your skin before kissing it softly.

You leaned away from him, your hand tucking under his chin to lift his eyes to yours. You leaned your head down until your nose pressed lightly against his, "Then take me," You whispered, feeling your skin warm at the words that you heard leave your mouth.

He smiled at you, bringing his hands back to your hips and lifting you from his lap. He leaned forward, causing you lay back onto the soft surface of the bed, your legs hanging loosely around Bard's waist as he brought his legs under him, crawling over to you as he looked down at you, adoring the way you looked under the orange light of the sun.

You lifted your hips slightly as he slowly slipped your gown down your waist and over your legs, tossing it over the side of the bed, flashing a confident smile at you.

Your lips parted in a silent laugh as he leaned back over you, his hands ghosting over your nipple and the side of your stomach, sending light tickles through your nerves. He chuckled lightly as you began to squirm under his touch, light laughs leaving your lips as he drew invisible circles on the skin of your stomach, just above the hem of your panties.

He kissed your stomach lightly, bringing both of his hands to run up and down the sides of your body, squeezing yours hips lightly as his thumbs rubbed tender circles into the soft skin.

"Bard," You called softly, adoring but hating the soft torture that he was putting you through now, his touches light and airy, with a smile pulling at his lips as your quiet sighs and giggles reached his ears. "Are you teasing me?"

He smiled down at you, his eyebrow cocking in consideration. "Not quite," he replied quietly, placing another light kiss onto your stomach, "But I ought to, shouldn't I?"

You shook your head lightly, puffing out your bottom lip as you lifted your hips from the bed slightly.

He chuckled, "I won't," He paused, his eyes meeting with yours. "Not in this way at least." He fell silent as he continued to brush his fingertips along your skin, coming close to the hem of your panties and core that had begun to ache for his touch, only to bring his hands back up, his palms laying flat against you.

He continued this pattern, watching your face as arousal began to build within you, his touches keeping you on the boarder of laughing with a childish delight and moaning quietly in an unspoken plea for him to continue lower.

He leaned down fully, until he could allow his lips to brush over your lower abdomen as his hands began to ghost over your inner thigh, coming close just enough to feel the heat that pooled at your core before retreating back down the length of your leg before trailing back up and repeating.

You whimpered quietly growing impatient with his subtle touches. He laughed lightly against your skin, his green eyes flashing up to yours before kissing your skin again. "Alright, love," He whispered against your skin as he trailed his fingers up your thigh, "Be patient for me."

Your thighs tensed at the light touch of his hand against your core through the thin fabric of your panties. You felt him run two of his fingers up and down the parting of your lips, rubbing just a bit against your clit, feeling as you began to grow wet from his touches.

He felt his own member twitch with desire as your soft moans and pants for breath reached his ears. He shifted himself lightly above you once a quiet utter of his name left your lips.

You could feel as the pit of your stomach began to warm as a coil grew tight within you. Your thighs tensed as his free hand resumed its trailing along your skin, tickling you lightly while the other caused your carnal desire to grow.

You shuddered at the two sensations, feeling as your mind began to grow fuzzy, only feeling the touch of Bard's hands against your skin, and the warm fanning of his breath against your stomach.

You quivered with a quiet moan once you felt his hand dip underneath the fabric of your panties, finally feeling his skin directly on yours as the skin of your thighs tingled because of the light kisses he planted across your skin.

You let out a moan that was laced with a laugh when he gently pushed his finger inside of your, curving his finger upward and moving his finger in and out of you. He leaned up, continuing the movement of his hand, and brought his face to yours, kissing back the moans that seemed to continuously fall from your lips.

You and he both could feel as your walls quickly began to squeeze around his fingers, causing a moan to come from his lips as his mind wandered to how this same action would feel on other parts of his body. He brought his other hand away from your waist and hooked a finger in the hem of your panties, working to pull it own from your hips and over your legs.

Tossing it aside, he gently pushed your legs apart, revealing to him the erotic sight of your core as it glistened with the wetness that he caused with his touch. He watched your face closely as he pushed another finger in side of you,hearing as you took in a sharp breath and released it as a gasp, your hips arching away from the bed as his other hand began to rub at your sensitive bundle of nerves.

You felt your legs begin to quiver as he moved in tandem the gentle thrusting of his fingers, paring it perfectly with the light massages of your clit. He pressed his lips against yours, you mindlessly kissing back as you quickly felt yourself squeeze around his fingers, your toes curling into the sheets of the bed as you felt your release crash against you like the waves of the lake that came with the high tide.

You moaned openly into his mouth, your legs shaking lightly as Bard continued to finger you, riding out the wave of your release.

He chuckled light once he pulled away, watching as your head fell back into the soft cushion of the blankets that laid strewn across the bed.

You whimpered lightly as he slowly pulled his fingers out, his hands going back to rub your lips and your clit.

He watched as you slowly regained yourself, your breathing becoming more drawn out and less shallow. You looked up at him through your eyelashes, a light laugh falling from your lips as you smiled at him.

He grinned at you as he slowly allowed his hand to fall away from your core, his fingertips grazing lightly over the skin of your inner thighs, sending light shivers up your legs. He leaned down, kissing you gently. Though they felt limb, you managed to raise your hands, entangling your lithe fingers into his hair, pulling on the dark brown strand just enough to make him moan on your lips.

You smiled on his lips, your right hand drifting away from his hair, trailing down the taunt lines of his muscular chest and down to the hem of his trousers, lingering there as you felt his lower abdomen tense at your touch.

You bit lightly on his lower lip as he moaned quietly once your warm hand drifted into the soft fabric of his pants, gently gliding over his already hardened member, its head twitching lightly at your sudden touch. Your other hand fell to his waist, pulling his trousers from his hips just enough for you to take as much of his member into your hand as you could.

He pulled away, placing his hands at either side of his head to keep him from falling on top of you completely. You felt the familiar tinge of your stomach as you watched the beautiful array of emotions flash over his face as you slowly pumped him, from the base to the tip of his head where you squeezed lightly.

You allowed a sultry laugh to leave your lips as you pressed them gently against his jaw bone, feeling as he brushed his lips over the sensitive outer shell of your ear, rewarding you with a breathtaking moan.

You let out a strained moan yourself when you felt him bite down onto the soft skin of your neck, his lips closing around the wound and sucking lightly, his hands returning back to your clit to resume the attention he curtailed moments before.

You squeezed lightly on the head of his length, hearing a low growl from his chest, before he pulled back completely, his eyes looking down at you completely clouded with the flaring of his desire and arousal for you. You simpered up at him, watching as his jaw clenched in an unspoken frustration.

"You will be the death of me, woman."

You glanced down at his length, biting your lower lip lightly before looking back into his eyes, your smile growing larger at his words. "Let's make it worth while then."

You let go of his length with one last light squeeze as he chuckled at you, leaning back to rest against the wooden headboard of the bed. You sat up straight, bringing your legs underneath you to crawl over to him, your attention set on the pants that hung forgotten around his knees. Keeping your eyes locked onto his, you slowly pulled the pants from his legs, rolling them up mindlessly before tossing them over the side of the bed hearing them land with a muffled thud onto the ground.

You rose your eyebrow at him when he motioned you to come over to him. You quickly acceded, crawling over his legs straddling them once you were finally able to sit onto his bare lap. You hovered your core over his length, your skin warming and tingling as Bard's calloused hands tenderly took hold of your hips, a light smile playing across his face.

You wiggled your hips, feeling the tip of his member push lightly against your folds, his head twitching slightly with the sudden movement. "Bard," you plead quietly, noticing as he visibly struggled with holding off despite the smug smile that stained his face.

He chuckled lightly. "Take what you want, love."

The pool in your stomach warmed even more at his soft words as you placed your hands lightly onto his broad shoulders, shifting your hips slightly as you lightly nibbled on your bottom lip.

Slowly, you inched yourself down onto him, feeling as his head slowly pushed into you stretching your core increasingly as you continued to lower yourself onto him. You failed to bite back the throaty moan that left your lips, your head falling back as you felt Bard's hands gently press your hips down, a groan of his own leaving his lips when he felt you sit flush against his lap.

You let out moanful pants as you allowed yourself to grow accustomed to Bard's length, adoring the way he stretched and filled you completely, causing your already contracted walls clenching even more around him.

You rocked your hips forward on top of Bard, biting your lower lip as another quiet gasp escaped you. You felt the vibration of the deep moan that left Bard's chest as he slowly rose you along his length, his hands gripping your hips, before pulling you back down, his own hips thrusting up to meet yours. You both moaned in unison as you leaned your head forward to rest in the nook of his neck, your lips pressing into on the flesh of his collarbone.

He repeated his action, his moans tickling the side of your neck as they fell from his lips, the sound of skin slapping against skin being the only noise that echoed throughout the otherwise silent room.

You moaned deeply with the sudden forceful thrust of Bard's hips, his length reaching even deeper within you as he leaned his lips forward to resume sucking on the already forming bruise on your neck.

You quivered as you felt his member twitch within you, his thrusts growing harder and more frequent as he continued to raise and lower you onto his hips. You gasped sharply once you felt Bard's hand swat against the cheek of your bum, his hand squeezing it as you continued to ride him. You moaned in approval when he mimicked the action of your other cheek, his hands massaging the now tender flesh.

You felt your elbows begin to tense before he leaned into your ears, nibbling on your earlobe. "Are you going to come for me?"

You nodded your head fervently, wrapping your arms around the back of his shoulders, feeling as you walls tightened around him at his words, the coil in your stomach threatening to spring loose.

A light shudder ran through your body as you heard his guttural moan before he spoke, "Tell me," He requested, his thrusts growing sporadic as he neared his own release. "Tell me you're about to come, [y/n]."

You moaned deeply as his lips found the bruising skin of your neck, your mouth parting as you responded in a breathless groan as he continued to thrust in and out of you, his hand swatting against your bum again. "I-I'm about to come," You admitted, feeling yourself leap closer to your release at the confession.

You continued to ride him, hearing his breathing rapidly turn into shallow pants as he also neared his end, his thrusts becoming hurried and out of rhythm.

You bit your lower lip hard, feeling as the coil within you tightened to its limit before snapping your head back with the arrival of your release, feeling your walls twitch and tremor around his length that was still within you.

You cried his name out as you felt him be pushed over the edge with you, his hands squeezing the flesh of your hips. Strained pants left his lips as he continued to thrust within you, riding the wave of release with you as you slowly slumped against his chest, quiet moans leaving your lips.

Feeling the last shudders leave his body, he slowly came to a stop, his hands still holding your hips, raising you up just enough to allow his now languid length to slip out of you. You moaned quietly at the loss, too spent to express your protest.

You felt him press his lips against your chin as his hands wrapped around you, pulling your tightly against him.

The two of you sat there, tangled within each other as you allowed the other to gain your breath back, slowly floating down from the much delighted high of your climax.

You felt as he slowly pushed himself onto his side, his hands wrapped around you, bringing you to lay down with him. He kissed the top of your head tenderly, smiling against you as his hands began to ghost along your bare back, causing you to shudder lightly at the tender touch.

After a few moments of blissful silence, you felt a quiet chuckle bubble through Bard's chest, his hands continuing to rub along your body lovingly.

You kissed his chest lightly, smiling against it before pulling away, tilting your head to look up at him as much as you could within his embrace. "What humors you, Bard?"

His fingertips gently ghosted along the bruise that formed on your neck, circling invisible circles onto the tender skin. "Nothing humors me," He replied, kissing the top of your head. "I'm delighting myself in remembering the sounds that fell so easily from your lips."

You gaped at him, the skin of your face warming in embarrassment. You swatted the back of your hand against his chest lightly. "Bard!"

He grinned down at you. "I cannot help it," He claimed oh so innocently. "They are forever ingrained into my mind and memory."

You puffed your bottom lip out at him, hiding back a smile as he kissed the tip of your nose. "You enjoy teasing and embarrassing me, don't you?"

"Mmm," He thought, his hand wandering down to the swell of your bum. "Should I not?"

You huffed disbelievingly at him, swatting your hand against his chest again. "Just go back to sleep, you torturous man."

You felt your skin tingle at the deep chuckle that vibrated through his chest. "As you wish, dear," He whispered, pressing his lips against your forehead as he allowed his eyes to close. "As you wish."


	6. Warmth

Based off of the imagine: Imagine Bard coming to your aid after being verbally harassed in a tavern that can be found at imaginexhobbit.

Please enjoy, muah!

* * *

You were exhausted.

You could feel the frigid draft of the winter air be drawn inside with every swing of the tavern door as more and more people delved into its walls, seeking a temporary warmth from the cold night that waited outside.

No doubt, the orange hue that showered the entire tavern glowed brightly through the windows of the small shanty, inviting all to enter and relish in the small feeling of luxury that came with being seated by the glowing hearthside.

The thin fabric of your cotton dress did little to protect you from the snappy air as you hurried back to the counter of the bar, picking up the three tankards of ale that sat, waiting to be brought to the patrons.

"Please enjoy, and make sure to drink it slowly," You said as you brought the cups to their waiting recipients, a smile playing on your lips and a lighthearted laugh marking the end of your words. "And call for me if you feel that you need anything more."

You smiled at the chorus of positive responses from the men as they happily sipped at their ale,their persons being surround by the thick scent of alcohol and the musk that always seemed to hang around the working men of Laketown.

You wiped away at your eyebrow feeling a small bead of sweat build up despite the cool air that sank to your ankles. You hoped to yourself that you weren't catching a cold, seeing as that would be the worst thing to combine with the long hours you worked at the alehouse.

There was a small place in your heart for the alehouse, having had worked there since the turn of your eighteenth birthday. You were now thirty-four, and still unmarried as always pointed out by your loving, gray haired grandmother, and have grown accustomed to everything that the watering hole had come to offer, some things well received and welcome, and others detested and looked upon with an ill heart by you.

One of those many things you hated happening the very moment you passed the table that seated the three men that were dressed in dark, hole filled clothing.

The wooden tabletop was covered in empty, overturned cups, the last remnants of the ale that they once held spilling onto the table and puddling at its center. Two of the men lay unconscious on the tabletop, their head rested upon their arms as snores left their lips with every straggled breath they managed to take.

The other, who also seemed to be slumped back over the bracing of his chair, sat closest to the aisle that you had to squeeze through in order to reach the other patrons that sat to the back of the tavern.

You didn't notice as his dark eye watched you as you maneuvered through the crowded tavern, noticing the way you would smile and laugh with the men who had the heart and ability to talk to you with their slurred words.

He waited until you drew closer till he reached his hand out to you, taking a tight hold on your upper arm. He tugged on it, forcing you to face him fully.

The ale of the half full tankard you held spill out from the lip by the force that he pulled your arm with.

You could smell the foul, aged scent of alcohol on his breath, hinting to you that he has been drunk for days on end. His darkened eye was bloodshot with intoxication, though his words that he ordered to you came out fluidly without the slightest hint of his state.

"Look 'ere, why don't ya' spend a little time with me," He stated, his voice lifted with the foul desire that began to bubble within his body. You felt your skin crawl as his eyes ran down the length of your body, seemingly undressing you without the slightest hint of embarrassment. He looked up to your [e/c] eyes and simpered at you, showing the rotting teeth that sprouted from his gums. "You're a cute one, aren't ya'?" You felt him squeeze harder on your arm, causing you to wince away. "Come 'ere. I'd like to show you something."

You tried to tug your arm away from him, only causing him to hold all the more tighter. You glanced around at the other men who were seated around him, all either unconscious or too drunk to notice what was taking place just a few feet away.

You took a deep breath to steady yourself, having had dealt with many situations that resembled this one.

Although, there was the smallest feeling that this man was more trouble than the others that you have dealt with in the past. You could feel from his grimy touch that his intentions wasn't only lead by the alcohol that coursed through his blood, but also from the dirty wishes of his mind.

"Perhaps you have had a little too much to drink?"

He ignored you, his other hand reaching up to your hair that dangled before him. "You've got pretty hair, dear." He smiled lewdly at you. "I wonder if its just as lovely in other places too."

Your mouth fell agape at his words, your eyebrows beginning to furrow in frustration and a slight hint of worry. "Could you kindly let go of my arm?" You asked in a steady voice, although you could feel your heartbeat begin to race as you felt the place of your arm that he held begin to tingle with pain.

He shook his head no, his blistered lips pulling back to reveal his blackened teeth and gums. "Not this time. You ignored me one time too many, my dear."

You scowled at him as he tugged on your arm once again when you tried to wring it away from his hand.

"Not this time-."

He was interrupted by the heavy hand that was placed onto his right shoulder. The seated man looked over to his right, a scowl set deep on his wrinkled, dirtied face.

"She's mine now," He grounded out, "Wait your turn."

You brought your eyes up to the man who just might take you away from the situation, your eyes and heart hopeful.

You immediately recognized the man that seemed to tower over your offender, the same wavy brown locks, his brown speckled green eyes meeting with yours for just and instant before glowering down at the man.

You knew his name to be Bard, the man your [e/c] eyes would always fall upon when you wandered around the market in the town square. You had spoken to him just a few times, with words that showed no complete interest in the other, but were rather used out of politeness and a very minute amount of curiosity.

Despite that, you couldn't be any more thankful to see him here, stopping the man who easily made your smooth sailing night crash headfirst into a rock.

You listened as Bard spoke quietly to the man, his words being more of a promise than the threat that they appeared to be.

"I believe I heard her ask you to let go, no?" He asked, watching as the man's face began to grow red with drunken anger. "So do as she says, before there has to be anymore trouble."

"Yeah? And whose gonna make me?"

You winced slightly when he squeezed again, his eyes set on Bards face as he waited for a reaction.

You noticed as Bard squeezed the man's shoulder, just enough to cause him to wince and ease his grip on your arm. You took the chance and finally pulled your arm away from him, placing the tankard of ale down to bring your hand to rub at your arm that you were sure to bruise.

"Now, are you going to leave quietly, or am I obliged to help you with that also?"

You stumbled backwards as the man jumped up, pushing Bard's hand away from his shoulder. He was just a few inches shorter than Bard, and yet the widowed fisherman still seemed to be able to tower over the man.

"It looks like you're gonna have to help me out with that," He challenged, stepping closer until he was almost flush with Bard's chest.

You glanced around you and noticed all of the attention that the commotion had drawn to the corner of the tavern. You looked back at Bard who whispered something to the man that went unheard to your ears, but was just enough to enrage the man even further.

You jumped slightly when the man pushed at Bard, causing him to stumble back a few feet. Bard easily regained himself and took a tight hold of the man's collar, pulling him away from the table and dragging him towards the wooden doors the led out of the alehouse.

The entire bar fell silent as the noise of scuffling feet and exchanged curses and challenged flowed from the man's mouth to Bard's ears.

With a final push, Bard shoved the man through the door and outside to where the snow slowly began to fall.

Without a moment's hesitation, the alehouse grew loud once again as if the confrontation never happened.

You, however, hesitated for a moment before following after the two men, feeling your skin scold you for walking out into the unforgiving cold.

Through the light snowfall, you saw as Bard landed a clean punch onto the man's chin, causing him to stumble backwards until he landed on his bum a few feet away. Glancing at Bard, you noticed the small traces of blood that left his nose, having had been smeared by his sleeved as he rubbed it away.

The drunk man stumbled to his feet, his hand held up to his mouth. He halted at the blood that was on his finger before looking up at Bard. He glanced over at you, licking his bleeding lip before spitting in the space that separated you and Bard from him, before turning on his heel and stumbling away into the snowy darkness.

Bard looked over at you, nudging your arm lightly to gain your attention. "Get inside, you'll catch a cold."

It was then that you skin began to bite you, quickly growing frozen from the frigid air and flurries that fell from the darkened sky.

He followed you inside, stopping beside you in front of the door way that was slightly separated from the rest of the bar.

"Are you alright?" He asked, gesturing to his arm as he began to shuffle his jacket from his shoulders.

You glanced at it, your hand raising to ghost over the forming bruise. You nodded your head, "I'll be fine," you glanced up at him when he held his jacket out to you. "I'm fine, Bard. I'll warm up in a second-."

You fell silent when he stepped towards you, tossing the coat around your shoulders and bringing the over sized cloak together before you.

"Thank you," you whispered, before focusing in on his lightly bleeding nose. "Will you be alright? Let me grab you a damp towel."

He waved his hand in denial while looking down at you. He wiped away the last remaining amount of blood onto the sleeve of his tunic as he spoke, "Don't thank me. Just repay me with an ale," he paused, "On the house."

You smiled at the wink he gave you at the end of his sentence before nodding your head lightly. "Of course. I'll get it out to you as soon as I can."

He smiled lightly before turning and heading towards an empty table inside the tavern.

You went ahead and took the time to draw your arms through the large sleeves of his jacket, relishing in the lingering body heat that was trapped within its fabric.

You could no longer feel the biting cold that whipped around outside, nor the aching pain of the bruise that formed on your arm.

Your heart and mind were both too full from the voice and smile of Bard, their effects taking their tole on you for the remainder of the night.


	7. Lullaby

Based off of the imagine: _Imagine singing to Bard's children and him overhearing_ \- which can be found at imaginexhobbit.

Please enjoy. :)

* * *

The laughter of three mischievous children rang in harmony throughout the small, yet homely house that where you built the life of your dreams that you lived now. All, of course, not without the help of your beloved.

A light laugh of your own fell from your lips as you went around the corner, sneaking up behind the three, poorly hidden children as they peered over the top edge of the cloth couch that sat in the middle of the main room. Your lips pulled back into a smile as Tilda, your youngest with just four years behind her, propped herself up onto Bain's shoulders as he hushed both her and Sigrid in an attempt to stay hidden from you.

He even brought his forefinger up to his lips, hushing Bard who sat before the lit fireplace, watching in silent amusement as his green eyes met with your [e/c] ones from across the room.

You winked your eye at him before shaking your head lightly as you reached out, taking them all into your embrace from behind.

They were frightened for only a moment, before almost immediately recognizing the loving touch that could only come from their mother's embrace. They all tilted their heads up at you, their defeat doing little to nothing to diminishing the bright smiles that spread across their faces.

You had barely managed to cajole them into their baths, having to enlist the fatherly aid that only Bard could deliver. It was always the same thing, chasing after them to take their baths, followed by chasing after them to eat their dinners only to end the night in chasing after them to get them into their beds.

It was routine that you quickly fell into and did nothing to curtail. You adored being the mother of the three Bardlings, forever wondering what a bore life would have been had you not given birth to them.

It was an exhausting job, to say the least. But it was also the one that had the best rewards.

You placed light kissed onto the crowns of their heads, before laughing lightly at them. "Are you three _finally_ ready for bed?"

You smiled widely at the chorus of feigned groans of distaste before Tilda failed to hold back a quiet yawn.

You lifted your eyebrow at her, kissing her forehead lightly. "I will take that as a yes, then," She smiled up innocently at you as you released them from your cradle, watching as they each turned to face you, small giggles still falling from their lips. You stood to your full height, gesturing to their bedroom that was just off from the main room, down the short hall. They quickly obliged, Sigrid and Bain hurrying into the bedroom as Tilda reached her hands up to you, in a silent request for you to pick her up.

Of course your obliged, leaning your head onto hers as she nuzzled into the crook of your neck, her hair still slightly dampened from the bath she took no more than an hour before.

You looked back over at Bard, your eyes catching onto his. You smiled lightly at him before carrying Tilda into the room, bringing her over to the bed where Bain and Sigrid were already tucked into.

As always, Tilda immediately reached for her stuffed animal as soon as she met the soft fabric of the bed, holding it flush to her chest as she brought herself underneath the blankets, her eyes heavy with sleep and her smile as innocent as it possibly could be.

You sat onto the edge of the bed, tucking in the sides of the blanket underneath Bain and Sigrid. You smiled at them before leaning over and kissing each other the foreheads, your hand reaching up to brush the dark brown strands of Bain's hair out his face.

"Good night, my loves," you whispered to them as Sigrid yawned almost silently, wiggling herself deeper into the blankets. "Sleep well."

You rose from the bed, preparing to make your way to the door you had just entered through. You paused in your gait as the soft voice of your only son met your ears, causing you to look back over your shoulder.

"Ma, won't you sing to us?"

His own eyes were heavy with slumber, but he somehow managed to keep them open as he watched you expectantly, hope twinkling in his round, green eyes.

"Yes! Sing to us, mama!" Tilda agreed, fumbling over her words slightly as she continued to grow accustomed to her new speech, her stuffed animal held tightly within her arms as she snuggled further into the blankets, between Sigrid and Bain.

You smiled at them, making your way back to their bedside, feeling the mattrass dip beneath your weight as you sat onto it. "Sing to you?" You repeated, surprised at the sudden request that you haven't heard in a little more than a month. You watched as the shook their heads frevrently, watching as you pursed your lips in thought before nodding your head lightly. "Alright, only if you promise that you will all go to sleep right after."

"We promise, mama," Bain vowed, glancing over to Sigrid and Tilda who nodded their heads in agreement. "You haven't sang to us in a long while."

You hummed quietly, your mind searching for a lullaby that you could recall then and there. You smiled when you looked back at them, shifting slightly as you turned to face them more fully. "Are you three ready?" You asked, laughing lightly at the seemingly planned movement of their heads.

You cleared your throat quietly, feeling your shoulders pull back and your back straighten slightly. You were slightly surprised at how smooth and quiet your voice flowed from your lips, having had not used it just as Bain said. "_Lullaby and goodnight, with roses bedight. With lilies over spread is my darlings' wee bed," _You felt your lips pull back into a smile as Tilda was the first to be lulled away by your voice, her eyes slowly drifting shut as she cuddled with her stuffed animal as much as she could. Sigrid wasn't too long after as she also fell into slumber by your voice.

You continued to sing, your voice lowering as your hand reached out to cradle Bain's round cheek.

You failed to notice Bard as he came and leaned against the wooden frame of the door, his lips pulled back into a loving smile as he watched you lull the children you shared with him to sleep. It was a sight that he could never get sick of, watching you be the best mother he could ever wish to have for his children. It was one of the many reasons why he continued to fall in love with you more and more every day.

He also loved you for your stubbornness, thanking it to being one of the things that brought you two together in the first place. He loved you for how easily you kept him grounded, putting up with his occasional spout of annoyance without complaint. He loved you even more for the way you could have him wrapped around your finger so easily with just a few gentle touches of your hands.

You were his muse, and you played his heartstrings with complete and utter ease.

He felt his own soul be calmed by your soothing voice, listening as your song came to an end, watching as you leaned forward and gently pressed your lips against Bain's forehead.

He caught onto the quiet wish of sweet dreams you gave to your children before you rose from their bedside once again, turning back to the door that he leaned against. You rose your eyes and met his, smiling lightly in return to the soft one that he gave you.

He walked backwards, allowing you to leave the room and pull the door closed behind you.

You smiled up at him as he took a small step towards you, standing almost flush against your chest. You leaned into his touch as he rose his hands to cradle your face, the pads of his thumbs rubbing lightly against your lower lip.

"You never sing me to sleep, love," He claimed, smiling widely at the quiet laugh that left your lips.

You leaned into him, wrapping your arms around his torso, as his hands fell to do the same to you. You kissed his clothed chest, before turning and resting against it, hearing his strong heartbeat echo through the muscular cavern. "You never ask me to," You replied quietly, adoring the way his arms tightened around you as he pressed his lips against the crown of your head before resting his chin upon it.

You felt his chest vibrate as he hummed to your response before he pulled away to look down at you, a smile still pulling at his lips. "Then may I do so now?" He asked before lowing his lips to yours, catching them in a soft kiss. "But perhaps, you could sing in a different way."

You laughed lightly against his lips, feeling your skin warm at his request as you looked up at him, your eyebrow raising in expectation. "Bard."

He chuckled lightly at your quiet warning, knowing full and well that you would more than willingly oblige. "I promise to make it worth your while."

You simpered up at him before reaching up to him and kissing him, feeling as his hands began to roam against the backside of your body. You hummed into the kiss before pulling away, lingering closely before his face.

"I know you will," you replied, biting lightly on your bottom lip, "So show me."


	8. Healing Eyes p1

Based on: "Imagine Bard falling in love with you as he watches you care for the people after the Battle of Five Armies."

Please leave a review if you enjoy it. :)

* * *

There was an eerie quiet that fell across the new kingdom of Dale once the last of the foul orcs fell dead.

It went unspoken that many who were of the city of Laketown were lost today – both men and women; young and old.

But now was not the time to mourn our losses, not just yet. What matters now are the lies that can be saved. The ones who survived the horrors of both Smaug and hoards of orcs that the people of Dale barely managed to hold off.

And now Bard, taking the position as King over the broken people of Laketown, knew that very well.

He passed through the large wooden doors of the aged Keep that stood to the back of the city of Dale. He gave nods of encouragement to everyone whose gaze met his own, his heart feeling heavy at the small chorus of groans that seemed to echo against the stone walls of the stone citadel.

How could he, on his own, bring these people back to, and hopefully beyond, the vigor that they had, just hours prior? The very spirit of the people of Laketown was broken, and Bard knew that it would take more than just time to heal it.

His pale, green eyes caught sight of his son, just as he handed a small girl a half full tankard of water.

"Bain," He called, his voice hushed as if he a voice too loud would cause the delicate walls to crumble. "How are our people?" He asked once he son stood before him, holding in his arms a basket full of the rations they managed to scrape together, the sword his father gave him stored safely in the scabbard at his waist.

Bain shook his head slowly, his eyes solemn. Such a young boy should never have to experience the terror of war. But it was something the Bard couldn't protect him from, and it was something that he hoped his son would grow from but not lose the innocence that he once radiated.

"Its not good, da," He responded, his voice just as hushed as his father's. "I'm trying to get food to everyone, but...we don't have nearly enough."

Bard glanced down at the basket of bread rations, nodding his head in silent agreement to his son's concern. "Give all you can to women, children and our older ones, Bain," Bard instructed, his hand raising his son's cheek, before falling onto his shoulder, squeezing it lightly as if giving him the last bit of strength the bowman managed to have. "You're doing well, son."

Bain smiled lightly at that, nodding his head to his father's wishes.

"Where are our injured?" Bard asked, allowing his hand to fall from Bain's shoulder, looking over the small clusters of people that huddled together, none of which having more injuries than a scratch on the face or a wrapping tied tightly around their wrist.

"[y/n], had them make their way further into the Keep with their families. She said its quieter for them there."

Bard simply cupped his son's cheek in a silent thanks before walking past him, he eyes set clearly on the dimly candle lit stone passageway that leads to another, small cove of the cave.

His lips were thinly set as he silently made his way into the cove, its walls lined with the families of the injured ones crowded around the makeshift cots that they laid upon. His mind wandered for just a moment until he finally focused in on your figure, as you helped a young boy, no older than fifteen, sit up, being quick to wrap the wound on his torso with clean white bandages.

He could see the movement of your lips as you undoubtedly whispered small sayings of encouragement into the boy's ear, his tear stained face nodding as he bit his bottom lip in an attempt to hold the tears back.

He watched as you gently helped the boy down with the aid of his mother, then placing a light hand onto his forehead as a smile pulled at your lips.

You whispered a few words to his mother before taking your leave, hurriedly rushing to another injured man that laid just beside the boy.

Bard continued to stand there at the entrance of the cove, watching you as you kindly took care of the injured, thanking those that helped you and encouraging those that needed it. He watched as your eyebrows would furrow in concern when you approached another one of the wounded, you hand quickly finding theirs and squeezing lightly, promising them the all will be well soon.

He has always known you as the daughter of the late healer of Laketown, the same healer that was responsible for saving the dwindling population from the sickness that plagued it when both you and Bard were only children.

He had always been aware of your innocent, natural beauty; the fullness of your lips, the way your eyes seemed to twinkle when a smile graced your face, the gentle curve of your neck and the way the light seemed to fall angelically upon it, the gentle yet noticeable curves that was featured throughout your womanly body. He had always known you were beautiful, having seen the many suitors who tried their chances with you.

He failed, however, to grow aware of the fleeting glances you sent his way, the way your lips would suddenly pull back into a small, hidden smile when you spotted the bowman. You only wished the he would notice you the same way you did him – just as he finally did now.

It wasn't until then, as he watched you start the healing process for the people of Laketown, that he _truly _realized and admired your beauty, and the kindness that seemed to engulf your entire being.

The faint glance he caught of your [e/c] eyes seemed to fill him with the life and strength he knew he needed to lead his people through the dark time of war.

It was surely enough to have him take the few steps towards you, until he was just out of earshot of the utterances you gave to the wounded that you aided.

"See? All better," You whispered to the teen aged boy that looked up at you with glistening eyes. You gently covered his hand with yours, your thumb rubbing soothing circles into the topside of his hand. "You've been brave, young one. Now rest."

"Thank you."

You smiled at the genuine utterance, releasing his hand with one last, gentle squeeze. As you stood to your full height, you turned, immediately meeting Bard's gaze that was already set on you.

"Bard."

He nodded at the quiet greeting of his name, watching as you took a step towards him noticing for the first time the light sheen of sweat that formed on your face from your efforts, but did nothing to take away from the grace that was you, and the few stray hairs that fell from the hurried bun that kept the mass of your hair out of your face.

"Is there anything I can aid you with?"

The smile you gave him made your eyes seem all the more brighter, glinting just lightly under the faint flames of the candle light.

"If it is not a bother to ask you, then yes," You paused, looking back at the wounded that you have helped and all those that you have yet to get to. "Perhaps water, if you can find some," You requested, adding the last part quickly. The last thing you would want to do is add unnecessary burden to the man who was sure to become the King of New Dale.

"Water," He repeated, taking a mental note. "I'll try and find some, although it may take me some time."

You shook your head lightly, dispelling any guilt that he may have. "You are in no rush, Bard," You paused, "Thank you."

A small glint of a smile pulled at Bard's bearded lips as he bowed his head to you. He hesitated for just a moment before his lips parted in question. "And you, [y/n]? Do you need anything?"

Your heart fluttered at the genuine concern that filtered through his voice. You knew that he was only fulfilling his duty, but you would allow yourself to believe that he did so for other reasons, just this once.

"I believe I am fine, for now." A playful smile pulled at your lips, "If I think of something, you will be the only person I will seek out."

"Please do. I am your aide," Bard responded, a smile of his own taking rein over the features of his face.

You nodded your head, your nimble fingers fumbling with the roll of bandage you held in your hands.

With one last nod to you, Bard began to turn on the heels of his feet, stopping just as you began to take your leave.

"[y/n]," He called softly, watching as you looked back over your shoulder to him before turning around completely. "Thank _you_."

You stood there silently for just a moment, the look on Bard's face and the tone of his voice resonating throughout your body.

You received many thank yous in the last hours that passed, all of which you were very thankful for. But his seemed to come from more than just the gratitude of you completing your duty.

Only he knew that he was thanking you for, not only healing the people of Laketown, but also, inadvertently, him. Your kind smile and healing eyes helped to remind him of the world that was before the war they just lived through.

Your spirit and presence was a light that shone brighter than the torches and candles that were scattered throughout the small cove.

And he mentally scolded himself for having had only realized that now.

You finally smiled at him before turning away, heading towards the young woman that clutched her side in silent agony.

Bard lingered there for just a moment, watching as you subtly sauntered away before he took his own lead, determined to bring what you requested.

He raked his gloved hand through the damp tussles of his dark, curly hair, letting out a sigh as he made his way through the stone halls.

He knew that the road of rebuilding with be one that is long and hard fought. But he knew it would be all the more easier with the light and healing eyes that you so willingly offered.


End file.
